Saber Weapons Guide

[Ginsu80]

Does anyone have any info on how to properly use the A40 sight and the weapons? I'm unsure of the cage uncage sight system or how to you the GAR missiles. From stRting in the air I can get the sight to track though it doesn't seem right as it is I my generating hits from .1 to .2 nautical miles. From cold start nothing seems to work correctly and the missle employment I have never gotten to work. Nor can I get the air ground to generate hits.

[OutOnTheOP]

To use the missiles, switch the selector on the center panel (the one partially hidden by the stick) to "missile". You'll hear the sidewinder growl. It has a pretty poor seeker, so you'll likely need to be within a kilometer or so for it to pick up a target. The seeker is boresighted straight ahead, and has a pretty narrow cone where it will "see" a target. Gun trigger fires the missile (obviously, only when missile is selected on the armament panel!), but you have to hold the trigger depressed a second before it launches.

 

*edit: oh, and don't expect it to hit anything from anywhere except dead astern, within a kilometer launch range, and in the absence of flares.

 

As to the gunsight, it appears to default to radar tracking. The little red light in the bottom left of the sight housing indicates it has a radar return, and it will automatically set range for you. There's a knob next to it that I *think* controls the width of the radar beam; setting it a little narrower seems to stabilize the stuttering of the sight (caused, it seems, by multiple radar range returns?). It only gets good radar range at something like a mile or less.

Edited July 26, 2014 by OutOnTheOP

[Scrim]

I think the black knob to the left you're referring to is the range of the radar. I think setting it shorter means it doesn't have to "reach out" so far so to speak.

[Buzzles]

Gunsight for guns is straight forward for basic operation:

 

1) Mechanically uncage (lever on gunsight to the right) when you're in the target area.

2) Press and hold the electrical cage button and put the pipper is over a target.

3a) Wait until lock light (red) goes solid. Change the knob just under it to alter the range the radar reaches out to if you can't get a solid lock. Shorter generally works well, be aware clouds are your enemy here.

3b) Release the electrical cage button you've been holding while the radar has a solid lock. Sight will now auto range for you.

4) Guns, Guns, Guns.

 

Missiles are easier:

1) Leave gunsight mechanically caged

2) Look down at the centre pedestal, change the top right knob to Missiles

3) Get behind a target

4) Wait for the solid lock tone (Seems to be < 1NM)

5) Hold down the trigger for one second.

6) Fox Two!

 

Hope that helps.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Buzzles
Button is called Electrical Cage, not Electrical Uncage.

[Mirtma]

Gunsight for guns is straight forward for basic operation:

 

1) Mechanically uncage (lever on gunsight to the right) when you're in the target area.

2) Press and hold the electrical uncage when the pipper is over a target.

3a) Wait until lock light (red) goes solid. Change the knob just under it to alter the range the radar reaches out to if you can't get a solid lock. Shorter generally works well. Clouds are your enemy here.

3b) Release the electrical uncage button you've been holding while the radar has a solid lock. Sight will now auto range for you.

4) Guns, Guns, Guns.

 

Missiles are easier:

1) Leave gunsight mechanically caged

2) Look down at the centre pedestal, change the top right knob to Missiles

3) Get behind a target

4) Wait for the solid lock tone (Seems to be < 1NM)

5) Hold down the trigger for one second.

6) Fox Two!

 

Hope that helps.

Thank you. I was looking for something like that. From quick manual I didn't get it right.

[Foul Ole Ron]

With the guns it seems like you really have to get very close before a solid radar lock. Assuming that's correct and I'm not doing something wrong how did the guys in RL handle it? Did they dial it in manually to give themselves a decent approximation like with the K-14 and then uncage once they got close enough and into a steady enough position to get a solid lock on the enemy in front of them?

[Ginsu80]

The only button I can find seems to cage it electrically when pressed. I have been manually uncaging and leaving the switch pressed keeping it caged. Piper on target flipping the switch to uncage and the engaging. Not sure if this is correct. I have noticed I have been able to generate hits out past the .2nm range where the lock is solid and the pipper trembles. Still can't seem to get anything except head to head or high deflection shots on the mig 15.

 

Also no problems generating hits close to the ground I'm guessing the ground clutter issue isn't modeled yet.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Ginsu80
Forgot something

[WinterH]

Is it not possible to release bombs before releasing rockets?

 

I am selecting BOMB on rocket-gun-bomb selector, move bomb sequece selector to ALL, line pipper up on target, press weapon release, and all rockets fly along with bombs, bombs hit, rockets get wasted...

 

Am I missing something, or is F-86 not supposed to carry bombs & rockets together? (though there is such a default loadout which I was using)

 

edit : or could this be a bug?

[Dejjvid]

I'm no IRL fighter pilot, but I find it hard to believe pilots did a combined bomb and rocket delivery. Two different approaches.

[Buzzles]

The only button I can find seems to cage it electrically when pressed. I have been manually uncaging and leaving the switch pressed keeping it caged. Piper on target flipping the switch to uncage and the engaging. Not sure if this is correct.

 

No, that's not quite correct.

The button you've found is indeed the electrical cage. As of this current version, there's no button to toggle the mechanical cage so you have to do it with the mouse.

 

Look up a few posts to see the sequence you should use. I've corrected the text regarding the electrical cage function.

 

To clarify:

When you mechanically uncage it, the pipper will float around, but it'll not be auto ranging.

When you spot a target, press and hold electrical cage button to fix it pipper place and then manouver the aircraft so pipper is over target.

Release the electrical uncage button when the radar gets a solid lock, then the sight will auto range.

 

When you've finished combat, you can if you want, cage it mechanically again.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Buzzles

[Scrim]

Is it not possible to release bombs before releasing rockets?

 

I am selecting BOMB on rocket-gun-bomb selector, move bomb sequece selector to ALL, line pipper up on target, press weapon release, and all rockets fly along with bombs, bombs hit, rockets get wasted...

 

Am I missing something, or is F-86 not supposed to carry bombs & rockets together? (though there is such a default loadout which I was using)

 

edit : or could this be a bug?

 

Simple: Don't turn on both bombs and rockets.

[Ginsu80]

No, that's not correct.

The button you've found is indeed the electrical cage/uncage. As of this current version, there's no button to toggle the mechanical cage so you have to do it with the mouse.

 

Look up a few posts to see the sequence you should use.

 

Roger I am using the manual uncage via mouse. What I was saying is I had the electical uncage button tied to my throttle pinky switch but I had to keep it pressed to get it uncaged and that didn't seem like it was right, so I switched it to a rocker. Forward is caged center or back uncaged. My understanding is you shouldn't fly with it uncaged and floating so I manually (mechanically) uncage. Pipper on target and red light on sight for radar, rocker neutral to electrically uncage, and engage. I have been able to get high deflection hits out even before the reticule begins to grow but it doesn't feel like I'm doing it correctly.

[Buzzles]

Roger I am using the manual uncage via mouse. What I was saying is I had the electical uncage button tied to my throttle pinky switch but I had to keep it pressed to get it uncaged and that didn't seem like it was right, so I switched it to a rocker. Forward is caged center or back uncaged. My understanding is you shouldn't fly with it uncaged and floating so I manually (mechanically) uncage. Pipper on target and red light on sight for radar, rocker neutral to electrically uncage, and engage. I have been able to get high deflection hits out even before the reticule begins to grow but it doesn't feel like I'm doing it correctly.

 

Hmm, Electical Cage should function as a push button, press and hold to cage, otherwise it's uncaged (if uncaged mechanically).

Perhaps there's some other conflict with your hotas software causing to act like a toggle/always on?

 

I think with regards to mechanical uncaging, the "don't fly uncaged unless you're going to use it" in the manual is similar to the P51D sight, in that you're meant to turn off the gyro before landing or risk damage.

[WinterH]

I'm no IRL fighter pilot, but I find it hard to believe pilots did a combined bomb and rocket delivery. Two different approaches.

 

Of course not... what I mean is, that I want to use them on seperate passes, but now, when I try to release only bombs, rockets fire too, and this is not what I intent.

 

Do I turn rockets off somewhere? I thought rocket-gun-bomb selector was used exactly for that purpose?

Edited July 27, 2014 by WinterH
grammar fixing

[Dejjvid]

Of course not... what I mean is, that I want to use them on seperate passes, but now, when I try to release only bombs, rockets fire too, and this is not what I intent.

 

Do I turn rockets off somewhere? I thought rocket-gun-bomb selector was used exactly for that purpose?

 

Never had that issue, so I don't know how that's possible, if you are in bomb mode only bombs and guns should be possible to fire. You're sure you are in realistic mode?

[WinterH]

Never had that issue, so I don't know how that's possible, if you are in bomb mode only bombs and guns should be possible to fire. You're sure you are in realistic mode?

 

Yup, indeed I am... funny this only happenning to me than :noexpression: I'll save a track next time I try it.

 

edit : nevermind, figured it out, just realized there are switches for both bomb and rocket release modes seperately, and they both can be set to basically "fire" duh... :D

Edited July 27, 2014 by WinterH

[lennycutler]

I have the same issue of bombs releasing at the same time as rockets, even when the rocket release switch is off...so how do you properly set it up when carrying both bombs and rockets so that both don't fire at the same time?

Edited August 24, 2014 by lennycutler

[CoBlue]

Yup, indeed I am... funny this only happenning to me than :noexpression: I'll save a track next time I try it.

 

edit : nevermind, figured it out, just realized there are switches for both bomb and rocket release modes seperately, and they both can be set to basically "fire" duh... :D

I'm having the same problem when in bomb mode, rockets are being fired!

 

Where are those switches located, u mean the big round function selector leaver, to the left behind the stick? I'm having it set to bombs but 1:st rockets & then bombs are fired?

Edited August 28, 2014 by CoBlue